In the sawing of fine paneling, formica-type laminates, and ceramic tile and the like by electric saber saws or bayonet saws, scratching and other types of marring and damage frequently occur due to the conventional metal base of this type of power tool. In fact, with the conventional base of this type of power tool, it has been found almost impossible to cut ceramic tile and paneling as well as formica laminates without disfiguring the surfaces thereof. As will be shown, the invention provides an anit-mar base with a relatively smooth surface and a rounded leading edge to avoid damage to the objects which are to be cut.
It has been found that numerous types of attachments have previously been provided for saw constructions. Thus, for example, saw attachments are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,303,861 and 4,051,597.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,303,861, R. A. Kane illustrates an element adapted to be detachably mounted upon the conventional base of a bayonet saw to engage the upper surface of the workpiece. The base element is such that, when it is mounted on a saw, the blade protrudes through an aperture in the base element so that the path of upward motion of the blade teeth is closely embraced by the element so as to fully support the workpiece material closely around the cutting area to prevent tearing or chipping of the top surface of the workpiece. The base element thus incorporates blade guide elements to prevent or minimize relative twisting or lateral motion between the blade and the base element to avoid undue wear on the detachable element.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,587, Louis Cardoza provides a saw guide device which includes a planar element having a pair of sides, a forward end, and a rear end. A flange member is affixed at an obtuse angle to the foward end and an L-shaped member is affixed at each side of the planar element and is tilted inwardly over the planar element. The shoe of the saw is adapted to be received on the planar element and a block element is affixed to the bottom rear center of the planar element to be received into the saw cut rearwardly of the saw blade. This is intended to constitute a saw guide for producing a straight line cut with saber-type saws and the like.